16 - All Roads Lead Back Home - 16th in the FLAME Series
by RBGirl
Summary: The Dillon family members embark on diverse journeys-both distant and inner...
1. Chapter 1 - Miss Me?

**Flame Series # 16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Miss Me?**

"Just the two of us?" Cooper was never disappointed to spend time alone with his sister, but fishing was kind of a big deal, usually done with his Uncle Festus and Poppy. His little face grimaced, overwhelmed with guilt. "Won't this hurt their feelings?"

Calleigh reached over, pulling her brother in for a hug. "You worry too much." She shook her head with a pitiful sigh. "Always concerned about how your actions are going to affect someone else. Cooper—you _are_ your father's son." She kissed his forehead before releasing him. "Festus and Wylie left this morning, to take some horses over to Colorado. And Poppy, is going down to Sublette, to visit an old army friend...where he will probably end up fishing. So!" She threw her arms open wide, "It's just us."

Her explanation brought a smile of relief and excitement back to the boy's clear, blue eyes. "Why are you packing bedrolls?" Realization and a little hope sent his voice into an excited squeal. "Are we camping, too?"

"Not if you don't want to..." Calleigh paused, her face void of any expression. Cooper knew instantly that she was messing with him. His response was just to throw his arms around her again. "Oh, thank you, Calleigh! I love you!"

Calleigh leaned down, kissing the curly brown locks, as the boy continued to squeeze her midsection. "Remember that, the next time I ask you to clean out the horse stalls."

Cooper pulled back, his eyes wide, sparkling with excitement. "I will. I promise." He finally released his sister and began to help with the packing. "How come Newly isn't going with us?"

"He's going with daddy, to Garden City, to pick up a prisoner and take him to Hays. They'll be gone for several days."

Cooper handed Calleigh a small box, which contained his favorite lures. He watched as she worked it in with the other items. "Is Bear going to watch over momma and Hadley?"

Calleigh stopped packing, cocking her head to one side. She shifted her stance, leaving most of her weight on one foot. "Why would you ask that?"

The boy shrugged as he continued to gather his things. "Daddy would never go away and leave them unprotected." He was seemingly unaware of his sister's amazement as he continued to explain. "Like Newly and Uncle Festus always watch out for you. That's what men do for the women they love…right?" When Cooper turned around, he was confronted by an expression he had never seen his sister wear before. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Calleigh released a faint chuckle under her breath. "Coop, I don't know that you even know _how_ to say the wrong thing!" She gave him a gentle shove, directing him back to the packing. "We'll leave first thing in the morning, okay?"

Cooper stopped suddenly and turned back to his sister. "What are we going to eat for two days? I mean…if we don't catch any fish? You're not going to _cook_ , are you?"

The amazement was gone from the young woman's face, replaced with a chagrined expression. "Okay, I was wrong. You **can** say the wrong thing. Not to worry—Tia is going to pack us some food to take."

 **MKLMKMKMKMKMKM**

"Are you going to miss me?" Matt leaned back against the headboard, as he watched his wife get ready for bed.

"From the sound of things, I'm going to miss everyone." Kitty slipped on the diaphanous nightgown, that was Matt's favorite, and took a seat at her dressing table. "Seems as if Hadley and I, will be the only two left behind."

"Well, you don't sound very upset." He puffed up his pillow and shoved it behind his head.

Kitty looked into the mirror, watching her husband's reflection, as she began her nightly ritual of brushing her hair "I'll miss everyone, of course; but I don't get to spend much alone time with my baby."

Matt threw back the covers and hauled his giant body from the bed. His steps across the room were slow and deliberate, as he leveled his gaze on the sapphire eyes in the mirror. He reached down, taking the sterling silver hair brush from his wife's hand and began to stroke the long, red tresses. "Now, which baby would that be…?" He leaned down, running his lips down the smooth curve of her neck.

Matt watched the changes to his wife's reflection in the mirror. Her lips, slightly parted in a breathless sigh, as she leaned back into him. "I didn't know you felt neglected, sweetheart." Kitty took the brush from his hand and placed it back on the silver tray. He barely gave her time to stand, before whirling her around and into his arms, where his eager lips waited to claim hers. After a long while, when he finally released her lips, he painted kisses along her neck, breathing softly into her ear. "Anytime you're not touching me, I feel neglected."

Idle hands were not a fault attached to the marshal, especially in regards to his wife. At the moment, he was working to untie the ribbon on her lace dressing gown. Once undone, the flimsy material tumbled to the floor behind them, as he guided her toward the bed. Just as they reached their destination, Matt hooked his thumbs under the narrow straps of Kitty's silk lingerie, sliding them across her shoulders. When he let go, the gown—like its counterpart—drifted down around her feet.

Kitty lay back on the bed, blue locked with blue, as he stretched his massive frame above her. Matt moaned softly, as his fingers traced along the silky fullness of Kitty's breasts. She arched back in his arms, as if she were offering them to him as a gift. It was a gift that he voraciously accepted. His mouth covered them with an insatiable hunger; his warm lips coveting every inch. Her nipples hardened as the roughness of his tongue stroked against the velvety surface and he could feel her body's familiar quiver. It was as if every time was the first time—and yet…their bodies were so in tune.

Sensing her need to control, the lawman relinquished his position of power and rolled onto his back. Kitty seized upon the transition with unbridled passion. Her lithe body slid across his, her warm thighs resting on each side of his hips as she raised herself up greedily, entombing his velvety hardness within her. Twisting her hips closer, she arched back so that he was imbedded into the very core of her being. Matt felt as though he were being ridden into the far reaches of ecstasy and the rider was relentless in her pursuit to please him. Both were suddenly thrown into a white-hot swirl of euphoria. Breathless sighs and moans of utmost pleasure, gently carried them back to the world around them.

Kitty lay comfortably on top of Matt's muscular chest, her arms folded, to give her a place to rest her chin. She wore a contented smile, akin to a Cheshire cat's. "Still feeling neglected?"

Matt laughed. The hearty vibration gently bounced her resting body. "So, was I the baby you were talking about?"

"You're my biggest baby, that's for sure." Her smile softened her sarcastic tone. "And to answer your earlier question-" Kitty paused, as she ran her fingers across his chest. A more wistful tone emerged "…Of course I'll miss you. Who is this man you're picking up in Garden City?"

Matt brushed the wayward hair from her cheek. "Why do you want to know his name?"

She could hear the protective wall going up. "He must be dangerous, if you're taking Newly with you."

"There's always a chance something could-"

"Matt, stop!" Kitty's tone was clear, "No more games. I do know how to read, you know. Boley Jarret, was tried and convicted in Garden City last week. According to the papers, he's killed more than twenty people."

"But they were only able to convict on these last three murders."

If Matt really thought that was going to help ease her concerns, he was very mistaken. "Why? Because he—or his gang—murdered all the witnesses in the other killings? Don't you think they'll try to save him, before you two can get him to Hays?"

His sigh was one of defeat as he came clean. "Threats have been made, but that's not unusual. We'll be careful, I promise." Matt's strong arms stopped her from pulling away. "Kitty, you know this is a part of my job. I thought this was all settled when **we** decided I would keep this badge. You agreed to trust that I would be honest with you about the risks. But, you promised to trust in my years of experience when assessing those risks. Remember?"

Her righteous anger evaporated under his piercing, but loving, blue eyes. Kitty stroked the strong line of his jaw. "Just because I agreed…doesn't mean I stopped worrying."

"And I love you for it." Matt rolled over on his side, tucking her in neatly beside himself. As he snuggled closer, his gaze seemed to focus on something across the room. "You looked really sexy in that."

Kitty followed his line of sight, settling on the pale blue dressing gown, so callously abandoned. "Then why didn't you let me wear it for a while?"

He pulled her in tighter; his voice had become warm, rich, like thick syrup oozing into her body. "Well, the wrapping was nice, but you know how I love opening presents, getting to that sweet treasure inside." He kissed her again, hoping that she would stop worrying about his trip tomorrow. Yet, when he looked down into those bright sapphire eyes, he could see they were still shadowed by concern.

 **TBC**


	2. Chapter 2 - Double Ugly

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Double Ugly**

Wylie ran the line through the halters and settled the horses in for the night. He grabbed the saddle from his own horse and wandered over to the fire that Festus had started. "Those are really handsome animals." He carefully dropped his gear on the ground and joined his partner for supper.

"They's right fine examples of horse flesh. I never cared much for Morgans afore, but Matthew was right to add 'em to the LadyK stock."

"What are ya cooking up there?" Wylie settled comfortably beside the fire and took the cup of coffee Festus was offering.

Festus squinted one eye while making a face of appreciation for his concoction. "This stew will grow hair on your elbows." He dished up a plate and handed it off, before filling one for himself.

Wylie braced himself for the first bite, but much to his surprise, it was pretty tasty. Brows the color of summer wheat, arched high above clear, blue eyes in a gesture of approval. "Should I ask what's in it?"

"It's my great-great-great Aunt Willy's recipe. Ya don't need to know the makings, jest enjoy." Festus grinned, as he shoveled in a mighty spoonful. "How's that little girl of yours doin' in the kitchen?"

"Tia?" If the twinkle that lit up his eyes wasn't enough of a clue, the loving tone in his voice when he said her name cleared up any doubt. The boy was in love.

"Do ya have another girl in yur life?"

Wylie wiped a dribble of juice from his chin. "No! One girl is enough for me. She's a real fine cook. That Silks woman, that does most of the cooking at the Prairie Rose, has been teaching her."

Festus cast a sly glance at his partner, as he piled another spoonful of stew onto his plate. "Gonna marry up with her?"

The tall cowboy set his empty dish aside and stretched back against the half-rotten stump behind him. He was getting used to being teased by Festus and the other ranch hands, but that sweet young girl was worth all the needling. "I sure am, just as soon as we can afford it."

"I was a thinkin-" Festus jumped to his feet, leaving that thought for another time. "Somethin's back there with the horses." Before he could reach for his gun, an unfamiliar voice called to him from the shadows.

"Leave the gun alone, mister. You too, blondie." Like a ghost appearing out of the darkness, the stocky figure slowly materialized, as he stepped forward into the moonlight. "Unbuckle them belts and let 'em drop."

One man alone wasn't enough to back up that command, but when two other fellas came up from behind, the men from the LadyK knew to surrender. "Fergus, tie 'em up." The stout man seemed to be the leader, as he was the one giving orders.

"Ya best be thinkin' twice on this here decision." Festus glared at the small man that was binding him up with a rope. His squinty gaze suddenly stretched open wide when he saw the third man trussing up his partner. Wylie's blue eyes bouncing back and forth, only confirmed what the hill man saw. "Two of ya, jest alike? Hmmph! Must be so ugly, the good Lord had to split ya in half."

"Vern did you hear what he said!?" One-half of the identical pair backed away from the insulting, fuzzy-faced man.

For just a moment, the stout man surrendered to a weary sigh. "Fletcher, stop your whining!"

"He called me ugly!"

"He called ya both ugly." Vern corrected. "And ya are. Now let's just get this done and get out of here. Both of ya, dig through them saddlebags."

Festus was angrier with himself for being taken by these imbeciles, than he was with them. "These here varmints brothers to ya, or jest pets?"

Vern ignored the insult, as he was going through the satchel that Fletcher had found in the saddlebag. "Boys, I think we struck it rich. They're taking them fancy horses to sell."

"Fer how much, Vern?" One matching face peered over the top of the other.

"Enough to keep us in beer and whiskey for a long time." Vern stuffed the papers back into the leather pouch and gave the twins a shove toward the Morgans. "Go get them horses ready to move! Make sure the ropes are secure. We don't want to lose one of those expensive rides."

"Vern, are we taking their horses too?" Fletcher had stepped back into the small campsite. "Cause one of 'em is riding a mule."

"Take 'em; we'll let em go once we're far enough away." Vern waited until his younger brothers were out of sight before turning back to his captives. "Maybe you can round 'em up, after you work yourselves free."

"That's mighty thoughty of ya!"

Vern leaned down and gathered up the discarded guns. "Probably best if I take these, though. Just in case." He threw the gunbelts over his shoulder. "You gentlemen will excuse us, but we have to be going now. It's been a pleasure."

"I'm plum hard put in knowing how to thank you." Festus spewed the words like a threat. "We'll be meetin' up again. You kin count on it!"

The two men lay on the ground, trussed up like a couple of Thanksgiving turkeys. Wylie took his time getting into an upright position. Then he carefully pulled himself to his feet. His plan was for each of them to move back-to-back in order to untie the ropes.

Festus, on the other hand, was fueled by anger, humiliation and revenge. Instead of going one stage at a time, he floundered around on the ground. It was hard to determine how long he would have thrashed about, had he not finally hit his forehead on a rock and knocked himself out.

Wylie inched his way over to his partner. No doubt, Festus was going to have a healthy lump—and probably a headache—but despite the blood, the wound didn't appear to be life-threatening. The young cowboy decided to take advantage of the brief silence to work his way out of the restraints. It wasn't much of surprise that the twins had done a poor job of binding their victims. By the time Festus came to, Wylie had liberated him.

 **TBC**


	3. Chapter 3 -One Day With Baby Girl

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 3**

 **One Day with Baby Girl**

Kitty had decided to do some baking while Hadley was taking a nap. She covered the dough with a warm towel and pushed it back against the cabinet to rise. A quick glance up at the Ingraham wall clock, told her it was almost 1 p.m. She paused for a moment, just to appreciate the fancy roman numerals circling inside the gilt case. A gratified smile edged its way onto her lips, as she remembered that little shop in Wichita, just across the street from the hotel.

Kitty had seen the clock in the window and drug a reluctant Matt into the quaint little store. The entire time the salesman was reciting his spiel, regarding the finely crafted item, her husband was standing behind her, secretly touching and enjoying his wife's body. More than once, she had cast him a scolding glance—to no avail. He did, however, buy her the clock.

She was wiping her hands on the cotton towel when she heard a sound coming from the pantry. A couple of months ago, a raccoon had found its way into the house and made a mess in the study. A weary sigh and a prayer were offered, in hopes that nothing like that had found its way into the larder. Kitty walked across the room and cautiously eased back the door, just in case the furry little critter was trapped inside.

The first couple of inches were enough to give her a clear picture. She threw the door open wide and stared at the small intruder. It was something wild, all right, but it wasn't grey, or furry.

"HADLEY REIGN DILLON! What have you done?" It was a rhetorical question, as the destruction was painfully obvious. "What _is_ that…all over you!?" Again, rhetorical.

Undaunted by her mother's scolding, Hadley erupted into a fit of giggles. "See momma? Sweet!"

The same molasses that Hadley had spread throughout her hair, she now licked from her fingers. The fire in her flaming ringlets, had been smothered—by generous handfuls of flour. It actually took the veteran of countless brawls within the Long Branch, a few seconds to accept the reality of this monumental mess. Obviously, the nap had been aborted, for more fascinating endeavors.

It would have been wise for Kitty to take a closer look before charging in after her daughter. Apparently, a bucket of lard had blocked access to the glass jars of molasses. In her rush to get to her objective, Hadley had pushed the greasy substance aside, letting it bleed out all over the floor.

It was the second step that took both feet out from under, dropping Kitty right into the center of the greasy pool. Thankfully, only her pride was hurt in the fall. However, getting up proved to be more of a chore than she realized, as the slick surface refused to give her a sure footing. Hadley would cheer and giggle each time her mother pulled herself up, only to slide back down into the muck.

At some point, the toddler decided it would add to the excitement to throw handfuls of flour up into the air. "Snow pwetty, momma."

"Hadley stop thro-" A mouthful of soggy flour induced a series of coughing and sputtering. "No. No more… _cough_ …snow baby. Stop."

After several unsuccessful attempts to stand, Kitty decided it was safer to maneuver on her hands and knees. It seemed like she had crawled forty miles by the time she rescued her daughter and carried them both out of the white, sticky debris.

By the time Kitty had them safely into the kitchen, she fell back onto the floor, exhausted. Hadley sat down, her chubby legs straddling her mother's waist. "Can we pway moe, momma?"

Kitty let her head drop back onto the clean linoleum, as the laughter overtook her. "No, baby girl. Momma is all played out.

 **GardenCity GardenCity GardenCity**

Matt saw a quirky smile touch the lips of his deputy. "Want to share with me?"

"I was just thinking about the last time we traveled together." Newly tilted his head slightly to one side, as he glanced at the giant man riding next to him. "If it starts to rain—get the heck away from those big trees!"

Laughter piggybacked the tail end of his words and Matt was quick to join in.

"We can't take any chances this time, 'cause I don't have Cooper's whistle with me."

Matt was just far enough ahead that he couldn't see the grateful look in Newly's eyes. Granted, they managed to share a laugh, but the memory also evoked a fear of what could have been—or more specifically, what could have been lost.

They had finally reached Garden City and the jail was in sight. "Are we staying here overnight, or do you just want to head on into Hays?"

Matt stopped in front of the jail and pulled his stiff body down from Buck. "I'd like to rest, but-"

"I know." Newly interrupted. "You just want to get on to Hays, so we can get home." The smile he wore now was not one of humor, but appreciation. "Can we grab a bite first?"

"Yeah, why don't you go on down to the restaurant. I'll talk to Sheriff Nobles, so he can get Jarret ready to travel." Nothing more than a silent nod was needed, as each went off in opposite directions.

Ray Nobles was a grizzly looking man in his mid fifties. His deep, raspy voice completed the image of a rugged lawman. While he was all of these things, Nobles was also known to be a fair-minded man. Granted, he would use his size and appearance to intimidate, but he rarely came down any harder than the situation called for. When he saw the marshal from Dodge City appear in the doorway, a smile lit up his weathered face.

"Matt, glad to see you." He was quick to rise and greet his friend with a handshake. "Did you come alone?"

"No. My deputy went over to the restaurant. We thought we'd get a bite before leaving for Hays." Matt glanced back at the cell to see the prisoner. "Did I understand correctly, he murdered a whole family, just because the mother slapped him?"

There was a heavy sigh that led up to the sheriff's accounting. "He and his gang rode up to the Hastings farm. Supposedly to water their horses. Jarret there took a fancy to the woman and grabbed her. She slapped him in front of his men and…" The sigh returned, but his words became harsh. "Well, such a man can't let a thing like that go by. So, he proceeded to shoot her husband and two little boys. His men raped her and then stabbed her to death."

Matt stared at the monster in the cell, fighting the image of his own Kitty, at the mercy of someone like him. Even though he knew she was in capable hands with Bear protecting her, he would be glad when this was over and he could go home.

Dillon uttered a sound of disgust. "Murdered a whole family?"

"No, he missed one. They had a daughter. She was visiting a neighbor. As a matter of fact, she was the one to identify Jarret as the last man leaving her family's farm."

The two lawmen stared at the beast in the cell. Boley Jarret lay on the thin, lumpy cot, enjoying a relaxed, carefree nap.

"He doesn't seem too upset about the hanging."

Nobles shook his head, his expression troubled. "His group is pretty loyal. They swear you'll never get him to Hays."

 **TBC**


	4. Chapter 4 - We Need A Woman

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 4**

 **We Need A Woman**

Calleigh eyed her young traveling companion. It had been an instant love affair between Cooper and Toga, but he was still a novice rider. When their journey began, the sun had barely poked through the starry, black canvas, but now it was commanding center stage of the bright, blue summer sky. "Do you want to rest for awhile?"

"What do you want to do?" Cooper was too excited to admit to being tired.

Returning her focus to the prairie, Calleigh nodded to the base of the foothills and revised her question. "We're getting close to Festus' magical fishing stream. I sure would like to stop and stretch my legs for awhile." She saw the flash of relief in the boy's eyes. "Those two trees up ahead, look like a mighty shady spot."

It was the term _magical stream_ that caused the sudden eruption of giggling. Calleigh loved the sound of Cooper's guileless laughter. Just as anyone and everyone who would sit still long enough to listen, the two siblings had heard the hill man's wild stories about this magical stream…

 _...Bass so big, one of em pulled him into the water and drug him halfway down the stream. ...Catfish so crowded together, they would jump into your bucket, just to get to some space. ...Bluegill, that would actually get into a fight, trying to beat each other onto the hook._

"Are you laughing at Uncle Festus?" Calleigh pulled Belle's reins, as she reached the shade of the elm. She dismounted and walked over to Toga, to give the boy a hand. "You don't _believe_ his stories, do you?" Her ridicule was tempered with love, her tone playful.

Cooper gladly accepted the canteen his sister handed him. "Thanks." There was a long, silent pause while he let the cool liquid replenish his body. He swiped the cuff of his shirt along his mouth and handed the canteen back. "I like all the stories he tells. Uncle Festus is not like anyone else."

"Poppy will certainly attest to that." Calleigh drolly muttered.

It was faint, but young ears still picked it up. "Poppy just pretends to be bothered by Uncle Festus."

Calleigh wandered over to the tree, bracing her hands against the rough bark and stretched the kinks out of her slender legs. "What makes you think he's not really mad?"

"Because of the way he takes care of him if he thinks he's hurt, or going to get hurt. Poppy just likes to sound tough." Cooper had picked up a fallen twig from the aging elm and was swiping it through the debris gathered at the base of a tree. "Do you think he wants me to be a doctor when I grow up? Like you, and him?"

Calleigh settled down on the ground, leaning back against the rough bark. "I think we all want you to be whatever you want to be, Coop. But you have plenty of time to decide what that is going to be." Calleigh stared at the carbon copy of Matt Dillon. Even at his young age, she knew his future was predestined. "U.S. Marshal?" Was she asking a question, or stating a fact?

He stopped playing with the stick and turned around to face his sister. There was such determination in eyes so very young and innocent. "I want to be just like my daddy."

Instead of responding, Calleigh uttered a soft moan and then slowly, her unconscious body fell over onto the ground. Cooper instantly dropped down beside her, his heart racing so fast he thought it would burst. "Calleigh! Calleigh, what's wrong?"

Small, untrained hands, touched her face and then began to shake her body. The boy was so intent on waking his sister, he failed to hear the rider come up behind them.

"She be okay, son."

Cooper's head snapped toward the voice. His big blue eyes held both terror and concern. "What did you do to my sister!?"

The grungy looking mountain man climbed down from his horse. He shoved the crude looking slingshot back into the waist of his pants. "I jest thunked her a little. She be out fur a time. I ain't a gonna hert ya, boy. We jest needen to borry her for a bit."

Cooper was confused, to say the least and the man's deep, Tennessee accent was hard to decipher; but he was still not going to let this man touch his sister. Cooper stood up, placing himself between the two. "No! You leave her alone."

The big man sighed, a part of him impressed by the boy's efforts. "Like I sayed, I ain't gonna hert either of ya. We jest needen a woman." He looked at the boy, then to the two horses and back to the boy. "How 'bout I let ya ride wif her. So's ya can see she awright."

Cooper's brow furrowed, as his eyes darted from one point to another. He knew he was no match for this man, so accepting his offer might be his only choice. "You won't hurt her?"

"Nah, I jest need her, boy." The man reached past the young boy, to claim the guns in his sister's holsters. "Why she warin' guns? Hmmm. City woman!" He stepped over to the horses. "Which one is yors?" Cooper pointed to the chestnut bay and straightaway the man snatched him up, setting him securely on the horse. In the next instant, he did a repeat performance with Calleigh, settling her in front of her brother. Then he pulled out a piece of rope and quickly secured the young woman's hands. "Sorry son. I gotta be careful."

He mounted his own horse, then gathered the reins for both Belle and Toga. "Hang on. We ain't goin' too far."

 **Molly'sGoodFoodMolly'sGoodFood**

The name painted above the doorway caused Newly to hesitate: **Molly's Good Food**. He smiled at the simplicity. As he looked around, it seemed to be the only restaurant in town. _Let's hope Molly is an honest woman_ , he thought.

Molly's was about the same size as Delmonico's back home, but the delicious aroma was more akin to the Prairie Rose. He took a seat by the window and hung his hat on the back of the chair next to him.

"Can I help you?" The voice was young and he noticed a slight overbite when she smiled. Unlike the starched aprons he was used to at the Prairie Rose, this girl donned a well-worn cotton dress with faded pink flowers. Also missing was the bright stitching announcing her name.

Newly matched her smile with his own. "Coffee, to start with…and could you bring two cups? I'm expecting someone."

She disappeared for only a few minutes before returning with the coffee. As she set the ironstone cups on the table, Newly noticed the small chip in the handle of the bigger one. "Are you a lawman?" She asked, as she filled his cup.

"I am. Name is O'Brian. I'm the Deputy over in Dodge City." Despite the worn condition of the stoneware, the brew inside smelled delicious. "What's your name?"

"Emily." She offered a faint smile. "Are you taking that man to be hanged?"

Newly sat back in his chair, slightly surprised by her question. "We are."

"We?" She glanced at the other, empty, cup. "Is he a lawman, too?"

"Yes. Marshal Dillon."

Her next question stunned him even more. "Are you scared?"

"Scared?"

Emily sat the yellowed, tin coffeepot on the table. She nervously chewed at her lip, as she studied the deputy. "I heard he has a whole gang that's going to try and rescue him. And…well, there are only two of you… Unless, there's more coming?"

The brown eyes that Calleigh so adored; now stared curiously at the young girl. "No, it's just the two of us, but we _will_ do our best to stop them."

Eyes the color of a summer cornflower stared back at him. "Are you married, Deputy?"

"I am." It was rare that he could talk of Calleigh without a smile and today was no exception.

"And the Marshal? Does he have a family?"

Newly maintained a curious smile. The young face appeared innocent enough, but he had seen evil wear a deceiving mask before. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Emily was staring out the window, at a very large man heading toward the restaurant. "That must be him coming now?"

 **TBC**


	5. Chapter 5 - Thunked

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Thunked**

Bright blue eyes came alive to the world as Calleigh sucked in a sharp breath. Her first thought was Cooper. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Cooper's voice and saw him sitting beside her. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, as he reached up, pushing the hair away from the lump on her head. "Does it hurt?"

"No." Her wince was dominated by irritation, as opposed to pain. "Don't be afraid, Coop. We'll get out of this."

Cooper peered into eyes that matched his own; eyes that held no fear, only curiosity. "I know. I'm not afraid as long as you're here." His voice dropped to a whisper. "He took your guns."

"Yeah. I noticed." When Calleigh started to examine the lump on her head, she realized her hands were bound together. "What's going on here? Where are we?" Her eyes never stopped long enough to focus on any one thing. In the matter of a few seconds, she had taken in the shabby contents of the tiny shack. In the far corner, she did see someone laying in a broken down cot.

"I don't know where we are? I would have untied you, but I can't get the knot loose." The boy offered an apologetic smile. "That man hasn't been mean, or tried to hurt us. He said he just…needed a woman."

That comment didn't sit as well with Calleigh as it did with the young boy. Her response was simple, but suspicious. "…Uh-huh."

The rickety wooden door opened before she could ask any more questions. The overgrown mountain man ducked his head, as he walked into the shack. "Finally awake, ere ya? I didn't thunk ya that hard."

Calleigh's temper was ready to rise to the occasion. "Why'd you **thunk** me at all!? Who are you, and why have you brought us here!"

He leaned his rifle in the corner and dropped a pair of dead rabbits onto the wooden table. "Name is Enos. Like I sed to the youngin, we needed a woman." The Southern twang was so strong; it took a second to figure out what he had said.

The question of _we_ was quickly answered, when a younger, slightly smaller version of Enos entered the room. "I sure got us sumthin' tasty." With a toothless grin that matched his brother's, he held up a possum that weighed at least forty pounds.

"Ooohlie, ooohlie. That is a good un, Rip. Mawmaw is shur ta feel better, as soon as we git sum vittles in her."

The fact that Calleigh had remained silent throughout this insane conversation was not due to any caution she might exhibit. It was the lunacy of the situation that held her spellbound. "I'm just taking a guess here, but you boys aren't from around these parts, are you?" It was doubtful that either of the men picked up on her sarcastic tone.

"We's on our way back home to Fogel Creek, Tennessee, when Mawmaw got to ailing." He nodded toward the sleeping body on the cot. "Lucky we's found this here place empty."

"Well, we don't want to hold you up, so…" Calleigh glanced down at the binding around her wrists. "Just let us go and— _y'all—_ can be on your way."

Cooper watched his sister, wondering if anything ever really scared her. He was beginning to relax, because neither of the men seemed scary. They were actually kind of funny.

"I dun tolt ya, we is needen a woman."

Calleigh eyes narrowed, as she glared first at one brother, and then the other. "Just what do you need a woman _for_?"

Enos left her question alone for a moment, while he told his brother to take the day's catch outside and 'ready 'em' to be skinned. After the younger man left, Enos nodded again toward the body in the corner. "Mawmaw over there…is feelin' puny an' ain't felt like cookin,' but she's needen vittles. We's a needen sum-un to take over 'til she's feelin' better."

Calleigh's lids took wide, slow sweeps across clear blue eyes. "You kidnapped… **me**? To _cook_?"

Cooper couldn't hang onto the gasp that popped out, or the fragile voice that could barely carry his words. "Oh, boy." Now…he _was_ afraid.

"I'm afraid you – **thunked** \- the wrong woman. I don't cook." Calleigh knew she was never going to live this down. A part of her almost wished that Enos had a more devious reason to _need a woman_. "But I can take a look at…your mother."

His thick, furry brows came together like a woolly worm inching its way across his forehead. "Ya don't cook!?" Enos mulled this bit of information, slowly, along with a couple of other things. _Hmmm, jeans, mans shirt… guns. Was it possible…?_ "Ya ar' a woman, ain't cha?"

Being kidnapped was one thing, but being ridiculed by a rednecked mountain man was more than she could take. "Yes, I _am_ a woman! No, I don't cook! But I _am_ also a doctor."

Enos heard the door open and turned to greet his brother with this latest discovery. "She don't cook!"

Rip stopped, his neck stretching forward as if it were made of rubber. His expression clearly said he could not comprehend this notion. "What cha mean, she don't cook? She a woman, ain't she?"

"Oh, for heaven's sakes!" Calleigh struggled to get to her feet.

"Calleigh, maybe you shouldn't yell at them," Cooper whispered. He wasn't sure which part frightened him more—that she would make them angry, or that they would actually make her cook.

"It's going to be all right, Coop." She took a deep, calming breath and turned back to the Tennessee Twits. "I am a doctor. In my saddlebag, you will find a small pouch. Please…bring it to me and I will see what is ailing your mother."

"Mawmaw's our ma's ma."

" **Whatever**!" She gripped her fists at her side, willing herself to remain calm. "Just bring me the bag."

Enos stepped closer to Cooper. What few features that weren't hidden in that tangled mass of a beard and mustache, appeared muddled. Enos leaned down, as if to confide in the boy. "She gits a mite riled for a half pint, don't she?" His brows furrowed again, as he studied the angry little redhead. "She really don't cook?"

"Noooo sir." The young man was respectful as always. "But she is a good doctor."

The two men stared first at the girl, then at each other. "Go on, then. Fetch her the bag, Rip."

 **FestusWylieFestusWylieFestusWylie**

Ruth found his way back to Festus much quicker than Vern would have guessed possible. Wylie's horse was following close behind. "When I catch up with them, I'm gonna jar their preserves! Well, don't jest sit there like a boll weaver on a corn cob! Get on yur horse and lets git after 'em!"

"Festus, would you just hold on a minute?" Wylie grabbed a handful of sleeve, pulling the frantic man back. "Your head is bleeding again. Let me look at it."

The patient had no patience, as he slapped at the young cowboy's hands. "Ya ain't a gonna tear off another piece of my shirt to wrap round my head. Now, get on that there horse!"

"Fine," Wylie conceded with a weary sigh. "Where do you think they were headed?"

Festus mounted Ruth and let his gaze travel to the four corners. "He's got the paper and bill of sale. I'm thinkin' they's going to take them horses to Hodge Ranklin to sell."

"That's kind of bold, isn't it?" Wylie gave his horse the once-over before mounting.

"Mebbe; but Ranklin don't know us from Adam. They have no way of knowing them horses been stole." He gave Ruth's reins a tug to circle around. "We need to get to Springfield, before they gets 'em sold and move on."

 **TBC**


	6. Chapter 6 - Getting Acquainted

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Getting Acquainted**

Once again, Kitty found herself mixing another batch of dough. Yesterday's had turned to a crumbling mess, after being left to rise for so long. Unfortunately, Hadley's little escapade took longer to clean up than Kitty had counted on.

This time, she called upon Bear to keep an eye on Hadley until she finished with the bread. Kitty laughed softly as she listened to her baby chatter to the big man about _her_ bear. From what the mother could decipher, the little girl was explaining why Bear had to rock her fuzzy baby to sleep.

Kitty wiped the sticky from her hands and stepped out into the backyard. "Bear, thank you so much for entertaining her." The mother reached down for the giggling little girl running towards her and snatched her up.

"Shhh..." Hadley placed her index finger to her momma's lips. "Bootsie sleep."

Kitty nodded and shifted the toddler in her arms so that Bootsie could sleep between them.

"You'd better not let him sleep for too long, if we're going into town for supper."

"You're going into town?" Bear seldom felt it was his place to question any of his bosses, but…it was going to be dark soon.

It was more the silence that followed his words, than the question itself, that piqued Kitty's interest. "Bear, is there a reason we shouldn't go to town?"

The burly man stared down at his feet, unsure how to answer. "Be dark soon."

"Did the marshal speak to you before he left?" Bear's dark eyes found their way to curious blue ones. Kitty could see the dilemma behind that gentle smile. Obviously, he had been asked to perform a certain duty and she was not going to make the situation more difficult for him. "I hadn't thought about it, but it will be dark soon. I would appreciate it if you would escort us into town and be my guest for supper at the Prairie Rose."

The invitation to supper seemed to take precedence over the sleeping teddy bear. Hadley squirmed out of Kitty's arms, dragging Bootsie by the arm. Now it was Bear's turn to pick up the toddler. "Pwease Beah. Come eat wif us."

"I will be glad to take you to town ma'am, but havin' supper with you wouldn't be fittin'." Bear smiled at the little redhead in his arms.

"Nonsense. We'll be ready to go about six." Kitty's response was clearly non-negotiable. She plucked the girl from the giant man's arms. "I need to get you cleaned up."

"And Bootsie?" Hadley held the tattered bear up for inspection.

Kitty laughed as she snuggled the stuffed animal against the girl's cheek. "Of course, we'll clean him up, too."

Being so big and grizzly frightened most people, which had left Bear a loner for most of his life. That was no longer the case—all because of a bizarre incident that should have gotten him fired, but instead found him a home and a family. Ollie Dobbs would be forever devoted to the marshal's wife and obviously, that devotion extended to her offspring.

"I'll be here at six, ma'am."

 **DocDocDocDocDocDoc**

The slightly off-key tenor voice, filled the empty skies of the prairie with _Sweet Betsy from Pike_. Doc closed his eyes and belted out the first stanza again, repeating his favorite line ' _A tall_ _Shanghai rooster and one spotted hog'_ three times, before moving on.

As usual, it had been a great two days with Swane Croffit. The retired Colonel had come through Dodge a few years back, on his way to his new homestead, just outside of Sublette, Kansas. The two were excited to be reunited for the first time since the war and made a promise that once a year they would get together to exchange lies, drink whiskey and go fishing.

He was about to start his own rendition of _I'll Take You Home, Kathleen,_ when he spied a wagon up ahead. At first, he thought it had been abandoned, but then he saw the horse was feeding on some grass a few feet away. Doc pulled his buggy up a few yards from the prairie schooner and quietly climbed out. He pulled his shotgun from under his seat, just as a precaution.

"Hello. Anyone in there?" The old man stood still, intent on listening for a response of any kind. It wasn't long at all before that answer came, in the form of a female scream. The shotgun was forgotten and his feet were quick to take him to the wagon.

When he pulled himself up onto the front seat, he saw two things. The first, was a dead man, laying on the ground just a few feet away. The second, was a very frightened, very pregnant young woman, huddled in the back of the wagon.

"Now, don't be afraid." Doc's tone was as reassuring as his words. "I'm a doctor, and believe me, this isn't the first baby I've ever delivered." He knelt down beside the woman. "What's your name?"

"Rebecc…ahhh!" The first name was all she could manage before another contraction took control of her weakened body.

Doc continued to offer comfort in a soothing voice. "Okay, Rebecca, everything is going to be all right. I think this little one is about ready to make an appearance."

 **TBC**


	7. Chapter 7 - Emily Hastings

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Emily Hastings**

"I guess Molly doesn't lie." Newly pushed his empty plate aside and reached for his coffee.

"What's that?" Matt's puzzled expression didn't impede his chewing a bite of steak.

"The name of this restaurant is _Molly's Good Food_. I had wondered if she was being honest when I saw the name." He looked around for Emily when his coffee cup stood empty. While he didn't see the waitress, he did spot the sheriff approaching their table. "Matt." The deputy nodded toward the visitor.

"Nobles, you're too late. We polished off everything." Matt wiped his mouth with the red checkered napkin and tossed it next to his empty plate. "I would buy you a cup of coffee, but the waitress seems to have abandoned us."

"The waitress?" Now it was Ray Nobles that seemed to be lost. "Hey, Crowley." The three men watched the door to the kitchen open and a short, bald man appear. "You hire a waitress?"

The rail-thin little man pursed his lips and shook his head. "No, I'm working all alone today." He was about to return to the kitchen, when he suddenly remembered, he did have a visitor. "Emily Hastings was here earlier. She offered to take cups to that gentleman there with you. She brought me their order and hung around to serve them. Then I saw her heading toward the jail. I thought she was going to see you."

Nobles was instantly on his feet. "How long ago, Crowley?"

"Just a few minutes. I'm surprised you didn't run into her."

Both the marshal and his deputy could tell by Nobles' face that something bad was about to happen. "I've got to get back to the jail."

The sheriff tried to fill them in on the short walk. "Emily Hastings is the girl whose family was murdered. She's been acting real strange ever since she found out Jarret was going to Hays to be hanged."

"I would have thought she would want him to hang." Matt cast a curious glance at the sheriff.

"She wants him dead—that much I know. But there's something else going on in that sad, little head. Emily hasn't shed a tear since the killings. Just keeps everything bottled up. The wife and I have tried to get her to stay with us, but she wants to be alone." The older lawman's face was lined with worry.

Newly hung his head as he followed behind the sheriff. He was feeling ashamed now, that he had become suspicious of her questions. At the time, it had crossed his mind that she could be a part of Jarret's gang. Brayden Willows had taught him that _looking_ innocent didn't necessarily mean _being_ innocent.

Nobles was the first one inside the jail, but he was soon joined by a pair of equally stunned lawmen. Standing inside the open cell was the small-framed girl in the faded, pink dress. Even though her stature wasn't very intimidating, the Colt .45 she steadily gripped had convinced Jarret to put on the handcuffs she tossed to him. It also kept him quiet for the moment. "I'm sorry, Sheriff, but I have to do this." Emily's eyes never wavered with her apology.

"Get this crazy bitch away from me!" Jarret's black eyes bounced from the girl, to the sheriff. "You gotta take me to Hays!"

"Why? So that your men can rescue you on the road?" Emily had passed the point of fear, when her hatred for this man had totally consumed her.

Matt looked at the two lawmen next to him—all three of them praying that no harm would come to the grieving, young girl. The marshal was the first one to try and soothe her pain. "Miss, you don't have to do this. This man has already been condemned to death. Don't throw your life away for him."

Emily continued to hold the gun on her prisoner, shifting her focus for only a second to the compassionate voice. Something the big man said caused a change in her countenance. "I'm not doing this for me. It's too late for me. I'm doing this for you—and that man with you—and maybe even Sheriff Nobles."

It was staggering, that words spoken in such a soft, gentle voice, could have such a powerful impact on three seasoned lawmen.

"For us?" Nobles had known this girl since she was born. He was Godfather to her little brother and he knew how devastated she was with the loss of her family, but this made no sense at all. "Emily, I don't understand."

Refusing to take her eyes from Jarret, the young girl tried to explain. "That young deputy said he has a wife."

"Emily, I'm sorry if-"

"It's okay." She stopped Newly's apology. "It was Deputy O'Brian, wasn't it?"

Newly glanced at Matt. The deputy was feeling guilty, but he was unsure why. "Yeah. My first name is Newly."

"Nice to meet you—again—Newly O'Brian. You wouldn't tell me straight out, but I got the feeling the marshal has a family too. I know Ray has a wife and son, even a couple of grandkids."

Something about the girl reminded Newly of his Calleigh. Maybe her innocence, or maybe the fact that she felt the need to protect everyone else. "But what does that have to do with this? My wife is safe back in Dodge."

Emily pulled the hammer back on the gun, causing Jarret to scream for help. "You gonna just stand there and let her shoot me! Do something! Shoot her!"

"Shut up, Jarret." Nobles' outburst held no concern for the prisoner. All three men feared that shooting the girl would be the only way to stop her. Would any of them be able to do that? "Emily, these men's families are not in danger. Neither is mine."

"But **you** are. Why do you think he's so afraid now, if he's going to hang anyway? He knows his gang will rescue him. They will kill you to save him. I don't want to see even one more family heartsick because of this monster."

"Sweetheart, these men know what they're doing. Marshal Dillon has been a lawman for twenty years. We all knew the risks we'd take when we signed on to this job. Honey, you don't want to throw you life away for him."

"What life is that, Sheriff? All of my family is gone. I should have been home, should have been with them."

This was the moment of weakness Jarret had been waiting for. He saw the tears well up in Emily's pale, blue eyes and waited for that second when she took one hand from the gun to wipe them away.

It was unclear if Jarret's plan was just to disarm the girl, or to actually escape, but either way, he had concentrated too much on her and not enough on the lawmen. He lunged for the gun and managed to cover her small hand with his hard, calloused one. Despite her size, Emily did not give up easily. She was able to squeeze the trigger, but the bullet ricocheted off the floor, causing no harm to either of them. Jarret twisted the slender frame around tearing the gun from her hand and aimed it into her innocent young face.

Much to Matt's surprise, Newly actually beat him to the draw and it was the deputy's bullet that dropped the prisoner to the floor. The life that drained from Boley Jarret, took with it the fears young Emily had held for the lawmen.

 **TBC**


	8. Chapter 8 - Who's The Real Liar?

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Who's The Real Liar?**

Two sets of eyes—one clear blue, the other squinty gray—peered through the massive clumps of maiden grass. Bellies on the ground, heads touching, they watched the three horse thieves. Both men from the LadyK, sized up the sleeping twin as their best chance to at least get one of their guns back.

Fletcher, the younger of the twins by five minutes, had wandered over about twenty yards from his two brothers, in order to stretch out for a nap. If snoring was any indication of genuine sleep, he was out for the count.

"I'll thump him and git his gun; you keep an eye on the other two." Festus started to crawl toward the sleeping man, when Wylie suddenly grabbed his arm. He pointed first to himself, indicating he should be the one to go and then to the hill man's boots, reminding him of the noisy spurs.

Festus frowned, but had to agree. Silence was essential in this mission. With a scrunched-up grimace, he conceded to the younger man and motioned for him to go ahead. Wylie dropped down to his knees and began to silently creep toward the lone sleeper.

The mission was easier than they suspected. Fletcher had flopped over on his back, dead to the world. With arms thrown wide, he all but offered up the .45 in his scabbard. Wylie grabbed the gun and turned to face the remaining brothers.

Wylie fired two shots toward the black sky to put a scare into the horse thieves. "Let's see those hands in the air!" He took a step closer to the fire. "NOW! Both of you."

Festus scrambled out of the dense grass, quickly plucking both sidearms from the thieves. He wasn't about to take a chance with his prisoners re-arming. "What cha do with our guns?"

Vern nodded to a pile of saddles and bedrolls. Tucked into the center of the pile were a pair of stolen guns.

Festus pointed to the sleepy-eyed Fletcher. "Ease on over here so's I kin keep all you hogs in a bunch." The three disgruntled thieves huddled together around the fire. "Did ya think we wuz jest gonna ride back home with our tails betwixt our legs!?"

As usual, Vern took a step out in front of the twins. "You seem like reasonable men. This was all just a big misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding! Do we look like a couple uh idgets to ya? Misunderstandin', my foot!"

"I'm telling ya, you got us all wrong! We're not really bad guys."

Wylie drew back in surprise, his brows high on his smooth forehead. "You stole our horses and everything we had in our saddlebags—AND our guns. You left us afoot on the prairie to die. Exactly which part of that says you are good guys?"

Vern shrugged and bobbed his head, accepting the challenge. "We didn't hurt ya or anything, did we? No! We just took some stuff; and stuff can always be replaced." He pulled out a likeable smile, earmarked for occasions, just like this one.

Wylie glanced over at his partner. He was amused that Festus had finally met his match in this outrageous stranger. "Exactly what is it you're proposing here?"

Vern eased forward a step and licked his lips. "We ain't never done nothing like this before. My little brothers and I were just broke and hungry and…well, nobody got hurt."

"Of all the gol-darned…what are you plabberin' on about? You're thieves! And that's all ther is to it!" Festus took a step toward Vern.

"Festus." Wylie called him back, partially to stop a fight, but mostly curious as to this slick-tongued fella's plan. "What is it you're proposing we do to settle this peacefully?"

"If you could see your way clear to let us go…" Vern paused and looked back at his two brothers. Whether he gave them some sort of signal, or it was just a well-practiced ploy, they now shared not only identical faces, but also matching, pitiful expressions. "We promise not to _ever_ try anything like this again."

That was the limit for Festus. "Why, you lowlife, chicken-headed, scatter womp! First time you ever tried this, my Aunt Willy's foot! I bet they got pitchurs of y'all three, all over Kansas and five hunnerd miles in any direction." His voice grew louder, his pitch more threatening. "I should jest shoot you right here and now-"

Gunshots from behind them, stopped Festus cold. "Let's all calm down here." The stranger remained on his horse, which gave him the advantage. "What's going on here?"

"Who's a askin?" Festus couldn't conceal his aggravation with having to deal with yet another player in this unwanted drama.

The man on the horse spent a few quiet moments sizing up the crowd he was facing. "I'm Tanner Lattimer. I'm the sheriff in Ulysses. I was on my way back home, when I heard the gunfire. Would someone like to tell me what is going on?"

"I am so glad to see you, Sheriff!" Vern rushed forward with his hands in the air. "These two guys were trying to rob us!"

Wylie controlled it better, but he was just as stunned as his partner when the enraged hill man jumped at the real thief. "I'm gonna beat you like a rented mule!"

Lattimer needed a second gunshot to again bring control over the group. Once he had their attention, he directed his question to Vern. "What proof do you have?"

Vern hurried back to his saddlebags and produced a letter and a bill-of-sale. "We were taking these animals to Springfield to sell. These two snuck up on us and tried to steal them."

Wylie cast a hopeful glance at his partner, but it was too late. The hill man had lunged for Vern again. "Ther's a real narree doorway 'tween this world and the next, and yure about to pass through!"

This action brought the sheriff down from his horse and he did the only thing he could do, other than shoot someone. The butt of his gun came down, sending Festus to the ground.

Wylie cautiously stepped forward with his hands in the air. "Can I take care of him?"

Lattimer tossed him a pair of handcuffs. "Go ahead." There was a moment of surprise when Wylie rolled the unconscious man over. "What happened to his head? Did he just do that?"

"No, Sheriff. He did that last night when he fell."

"Oh, okay." The young sheriff actually seemed relieved that he hadn't seriously injured the man. He was just trying to quiet him down. "You want to give me your side of this story?"

Wylie knelt beside his friend, relieved that he was only dazed. "Yessir. My story is similar to his, only ours is true. We're the good guys, so to speak." He nodded toward Vern. "We were on our way from Dodge City to Springfield, when these three robbed us. Stole the horses, our guns and everything we had in the saddlebags—which of course included the bill-of-sale."

Tanner Lattimer was relatively new at being a sheriff. He had only accepted the post six months ago and was still learning how to read people. The stout man, Vern, seemed to have all the proof, but he just didn't seem on the up-and-up. The scruffy little man definitely had a shady look to him, and a temper.

"I think we all need to ride into town and sort this out."

"But, Sheriff, we really need to get to Springfield for that sale."

Vern was playing his part to the end, but the young lawman wasn't buying. "I'm sure you can explain what happened to the buyers and they will understand. Now, why don't you gather up your things and I'll follow you into Ulysses."

 **TBC**


	9. Chapter 9 - Real Healer

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Real Healer**

Enos stood back, stretching up occasionally on his tiptoes in order to see what the young doctor was doing. "Ya shor she's a good healer?"

"My sister will take real good care of your grandmother, Mr. Enos." Cooper stood beside the man and tried to offer comfort.

Curiosity pulled the mountain man's attention away from his Mawmaw, to the little boy next to him. "You's a real p'light little one, ain't cha, boy? Ya perty proud of that woman, even knowin' she cain't cook."

"Yes sir, I am proud of Calleigh."

"Ca-lee. Hmmm, strange name fer a woman." He eyed the redhead again. "If she cain't cook, who does the vittles at yer house?"

"My momma cooks _and_ she owns a restaurant." Cooper grinned with pride, as he looked up at the big man. "She's real pretty, just like my sister."

Calleigh pulled the blanket up over the old lady. If Mawmaw had a first name, neither of the boys remembered it. "Mawmaw, everything is going to be okay. I'm going to fix that problem in your stomach and you'll be as good as new in a few days."

They may not have been the brightest boys around, but they were loved by their grandma. Mawmaw's concern was more for them, than her own illness. "My boys are powerful hungry. Are you gonna cook up sumthin?"

"Don't you worry about them." Calleigh wore her bedside smile and patted the old woman's arm. "We just need to concentrate on you." She left the woman's bed and walked over to Enos and Cooper. "She's going to need surgery."

"Serg-ree. You ain't gonna cut on her?"

Calleigh reached out, taking both his massive hands in her small ones. "Don't panic, Enos. It's her appendix that has been making her sick. I need to remove it before it gets serious." She didn't want to scare him, but the operation needed to be done right away.

Enos screwed up his mouth, working his lips from side to side. "I gotta talk to Rip 'bout you cuttin' on her." He pulled away and went out to find his brother.

Cooper waited until they were alone before asking. "Calleigh, is she going to be all right?"

"If I get this done right away, she'll be fine." Calleigh began to go through her bag, which brought another question to the little boy.

"Why did you bring your medical bag on a fishing trip?"

Calleigh stopped sorting her supplies and leaned down, placing her hands on the small set of shoulders. "Do you think I would take you out of town, out into the country, without the proper instruments to take care of you? What if you got sick, or injured?" She pulled him close and kissed the mess of brown curls. "I may do a lot of crazy things, but not where your safety is concerned."

Cooper's little face lit up with pride. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not this time, Coop, but…wait—there is something. Enos and his brother are going to be scared. Do you think you can keep them occupied?"

"I could read to them."

"I doubt they have any books, Coop."

"But, I do. I got the new one Poppy bought me, in my saddlebag. 'The Dog's Dinner Party'."

"Hmmmm…it might be over their heads, but I think they would enjoy it. Go get your book; I need to get some water boiling."

 **OllieDobbsOllieDobbsOllieDobbs**

"Do you want to wear your new bonnet?" Kitty pulled the emerald green sunbonnet from the drawer. "It looks very pretty with your red curls."

"Huh-uh." Hadley climbed up on her bed and stood in the middle, giving her legs a little bounce. "I wanna weah that." It came as no surprise to her mother, when the little girl pointed to the tiny Stetson her daddy had specially made for her.

"Cowboy hats don't go with pretty dresses like the one you have on." Kitty straightened the crisp, white pinafore that covered the floral gingham dress underneath. "Don't you like your new dress?" Kitty wondered if she were raising another tomboy. Unlike her older sister, at least Hadley was on the line: Some days she wanted boots and cowboy hats, and the next day sundresses and bonnets.

Hadley stretched her arms out toward her mother. "It's pwetty. I weah the bonnet."

"Ahhh, yes. A win for momma," Kitty muttered under her breath. The two redheads turned when they heard knocking at the back door. "I'll bet that's Bear. Come on." Kitty held out her arms for the toddler to jump into.

Kitty did a slight double-take when she opened the back door for Ollie Dobbs. The overalls had been traded in for a flannel shirt, covered in tiny blue and white checks, and a pair of brown, canvas pants. Tied around his neck was a clean, paisley kerchief. The rusty-brown mass of tight curls, that usually resembled a sheep in desperate need of shearing, was slicked down as much as possible. If she wasn't mistaken, even the beard had been trimmed—just a touch. It still hung halfway down his chest and gobbled up his cheeks, but it seemed like the edges were cut smooth.

Kitty opened the door for him to come in. "Why Bear, you look very nice."

"Thank you, ma'am." He paused, as if he had something to say, but wasn't sure how to say it. "You look right pretty."

"Me pwetty, Beah?" Hadley tugged at the brown canvas pants.

He was much more comfortable dealing with the tinier redhead. As usual, her little arms were up-stretched and fingers wiggling. "You are always pretty," Bear replied, as he picked the baby up, letting her rest against his chest. "I have the buggy all ready, ma'am."

Kitty gave them all a last once-over and nodded to her escort. "Then, let's go."

 **TBC**


	10. Chapter 10 - One Life Ends Another Begin

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 10**

 **One Life Ends Another Begins**

All eyes were on the man that lay bleeding on the cell floor. An unnatural stillness suffocated the room, like a death shroud. At last, the girl slowly lifted her gaze to the young deputy. Newly could see her small frame begin to wilt, but he managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

Weeks of pent up grief came pouring out. Not through screams, or violent sobs, just a quiet, endless stream of tears. Newly held the girl in his arms, as he carefully stepped over the dead body. Warm, brown eyes searched the room, finally settling on the cot in the empty cell. Strange, how something so faded and worn as an old blue and white tick mattress, could offer a place of comfort.

Emily had wrapped her arms around the deputy's neck, clinging to him as if he were her lifeline. Newly sat on the edge of the cot, rocking her back and forth. It had not been that long ago that he had held another young woman in her darkest hour. Granted, that little redhead lived in his heart, but there was still enough left to console this broken girl.

Matt took a seat on the edge of the desk. He folded his arms across his chest and stretched his long legs out, crossing them at the ankles. Noble stepped outside the jail, long enough to get someone to drag Jarret's corpse away. Once the body had been removed, Noble took a seat beside Dillon.

"It's going to be a long road, but I think she'll be all right now." Nobles could see the healing was just beginning, but even in that, there was hope. "Ginny and I have been trying to get her to come stay with us. Maybe she'll be ready now. You know, Matt, this is the first time that child has shed tears since the tragedy."

"I know that no one can replace her family, but I think she's lucky to have you and Ginny."

"Thanks, Matt." Both men maintained their focus on the couple in the cell. "That deputy of yours—he's a pretty special guy."

"Very." There was pride in the marshal's smile and voice. "I don't know if I mentioned it, but he's also my son-in-law."

Noble pulled his attention away, long enough to smile at the marshal. "I can't say I like the way it went down, but she just saved you a three-day ride into Hays. Since you won't be going, do you want me to find you a room for the night?"

"I'll have to ask Newly." Matt nodded toward his deputy, "But if we leave now, we can be home by morning."

"That's still a long ride, Matt. Are you sure you don't want to get some rest and start out fresh tomorrow?"

"Thanks, but I'll rest better once I'm home."

 **DocDocDocDocDocDocDoc**

Doc swiped his handkerchief across his forehead and down around his neck. He stretched his old body in a backward arch, to pull out the kinks. With a final thud of the shovel, he whispered a prayer for the dead man.

Sometimes, the human body is like a time bomb, just waiting to explode. For poor Riley Gunter, that time came at the early age of twenty-eight, out in the middle of the Kansas prairie.

Since their parents died, Riley had raised and spoiled his baby sister. Against his better judgment, after numerous tears and pleas, he'd agreed to take Rebecca to Ulysses, in order to be with her husband before the birth of their first child.

An aneurysm not only robbed Riley of his future, but was a major cause of his nephew's early arrival. Doc returned to the wagon, replacing the shovel before he walked around to the water barrel. He opened the spigot and leaned down to splash the cool water over his head and hands. With his face up toward the sun, he let the warm, summer air dry his weathered skin.

He was prepared to step up into the wagon, when he heard the soft cooing of the infant. The baby was responding to his mother's gentle voice. Rebecca was torn—between the pain of losing her brother and the elation over the birth of her son. Doc listened unashamedly to the private conversation between mother and son. "We're going to ask your daddy if we can name you after your Uncle Riley. I think he would like that."

"How are my favorite patients doing this morning?" Doc wore his most cheerful smile for the young woman.

"Did you bury him?" Doc answered her question with a solemn nod. She pressed her lips to her son's forehead. "He was so excited about becoming an uncle. Do you have any idea what killed him?"

Doc pursed his lips and tugged on his ear. "You say there was no history of heart problems?" He waited for her to confirm. "Well, from the way you described him complaining about a terrible headache and then just collapsing, I would guess it to have been an aneurysm. 'Course, we'll never know for sure."

"He was so worried about me and… I should never have forced him to bring me."

"Now, don't you go blaming yourself." Doc reached over, placing a consoling hand on hers. "If my diagnosis is correct, nothing could have prevented his death."

"Doctor Adams, I don't know how to thank you." Tears welled up again, as the new mother stared down at her son. "He wouldn't be here if not for you. How can I ever repay you?"

Doc cleared his throat and swiped at his mustache. "You don't owe me a thing, young lady. Just get well and take care of that little fella there." Just as he started to climb up to the front bench, he turned back to the girl, with a smile. "…And I thought I told you—it's just, Doc."

 **TBC**


	11. Chapter 11 - Liars and Thieves

**FLAME SERIES #16: ALL ROADS LEAD BACK HOME**

 **Chapter 11**

 **Liars and Thieves**

Tiny specs of grey and brown appeared on the horizon, heralding the town of Ulysses, Kansas. Tanner was never so glad to see such an ugly sight in his whole life. In the last hour and a half, he doubted if either that scruffy little fella in the funny hat, or the oldest of the three brothers, had shut up for more than ten seconds at a time. It had been a continuous barrage of insults, threats, name calling and just downright stupid remarks. He put a little speed into his horse, in the sincere hope of getting home faster.

Vern and his brothers were on one side of the lawman, while Festus and Wylie flanked the opposite side. "Sheriff, I don't know why we have to come with you. I show'd ya the bill a sale. Them's our horses."

"I told you. There's just too many conflicting stories here and I think we need to sort it out."

"It's cornflictin' all right! I'm telling you, Sheriff, you got your handle on the wrong pot. _They_ is the thievin' liars!"

Wylie leaned over, grabbing a handful of his partner's shirt. "Hey, don't go getting yourself so worked up. You know the truth's gonna come out, sooner or later."

Tanner flashed a grateful look to the young cowboy for quieting down his friend. Even without proof, he was doubting that these two were the horse thieves. But the three brothers did have possession of the written verification.

The sheriff attracted quite a crowd, as he led the parade of suspected horse thieves and string of purebred Morgans down Main Street. Tired, hot and cranky, Tanner climbed down from his horse and motioned for everyone else to head inside the jail.

"Mort," Tanner motioned to a burly young man coming out of the mercantile. "Can you come over here?"

With a lumbering gait that favored one leg, the man smiled as he drew closer. "What do ya need, Sheriff?"

"Could you take these horses down to the livery stable?"

A beefy hand took the lead rope from Tanner. "These are sure good looking animals. Who do they belong to?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out." Tanner gave a nod of thanks and stepped into the jail, just in time to hear another round of threats. "OKAY…STOP! If _any_ of you say one more word, I'm gonna shoot all of you! Now get in those cells!"

"You puttin' **us** in _jail_?" Vern was the only one to ask, but the same question was stamped across the identical faces beside him.

"I sure am. You three, in that cell..." He turned to the other pair, "And you two, in that one over there." Tanner watched the five men shuffle into their designated spots. The room was bathed in silence and the sheriff offered a sigh of gratitude. He tossed his hat onto the peg by the door and walked over to the stove. "Would a cup of coffee help to calm everyone down?"

"Got anything stronger—maybe a whiskey?" Vern, again, only said aloud what his brothers were thinking.

"The offer is for coffee. Take it, or leave it." Tanner drawled as he shifted his focus to the other two men. "How about you two?"

"That would be real kindly of ya, Sheriff." Festus settled back on the cot.

The lawman noted that while the scruffy man's tone had mellowed, he continued to cast a hateful glare at the threesome in the next cell.

 **PrairieRosePrairieRosePrairieRose**

Tia was full of smiles, as usual. She was surprised at Kitty's escort for the evening, but it was not apparent to anyone. "Hadley, you look very pretty tonight. Is that a new bonnet?"

"Uh-huh. Momma buyed it." As pretty as it was, the little girl was quick to pull it off and throw it onto the table.

Tia was no different than most people in Dodge when meeting Ollie Dobbs, close up, for the first time. After all, he was the one responsible for that infamous punch to Miss Kitty's eye. The young blonde shook off the memory and graciously welcomed her customer. "Good evening, Mr. Dobbs. We don't see you in here often."

"It's just Bear." The big man's apathetic expression always mirrored his tone. "I eat at home."

Kitty hid her smile as the baffled young girl tried to understand his simple answers. Bear was a paragon of brevity. "Okay. Well, I hope you enjoy your dinner here tonight. Nettie will be right over."

"My family owes you so much. I was hoping we could use this time to get to know each other a little better." As Kitty stared at her dinner guest, she realized that hidden beneath that mass of auburn curls and woolly hair, were a pair of grey eyes. Despite being the color of an ominous, dark cloud in a summer storm, they held no threat.

"Yes ma'am."

"I know you've been working for the LadyK for several years now. Are you originally from Kansas?"

"No. Three Forks County, Oklahoma." Even if he were a talkative man, there really wasn't much more to say about Three Forks. It was barely more than a dirty spot in the road, not far from the banks of the the Red River.

 _This is going to be a challenge,_ Kitty thought. "Do you have family back there?"

"No." Bear looked at the beautiful face on the opposite side of the table. Kitty Dillon had taken him into her family, into her heart. If he were ever to give his oversized heart away again—it would be to this woman. The big man knew she was making a sincere attempt to connect with him and he was going to try and respond in kind. It wasn't much of an explanation, but it was a beginning. "Apaches took my parents."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bear."

"Long time ago." Bear squirmed in his seat, taken aback by the memories her questions had evoked. His folks were good people. Kind people. His ma was a lot like Kitty—not physically, but she was a devoted mother. It was Ida Dobbs who hid her little boy, back behind the crib of firewood, when the Indians attacked.

Kitty tried to split her attention between the man and the toddler. "I know you're good at your job, because Festus relies on you. Have you always been a cowboy?"

Bear cast a wistful glance at Hadley. He took a long breath, as if to brace himself for the words to come. "Farmer. My…wife and…daughter…we farmed." The question in Kitty's eyes was obvious, even to a man like Bear. "Fever took 'em." After almost two decades, he still didn't understand why he was left behind and they were taken.

Now it was Kitty that sat wide-eyed and speechless. It didn't take words to see the pain that still lived in his eyes. "Bear, I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

The big man shifted his focus back to the smaller redhead, who was currently chattering away to Bootsie. "You have a nice family. The marshal is a very good man."

"I do have a nice family; and you know, you are a part of it, too. You do know that, don't you, Bear?"

Hadley chose that moment to pull on Bear's arm, in order to get his attention. With the stuffed animal in one hand and a tiny knitted sock in the other, she dropped them both in front of him. "I can't do it! You do it, Beah."

The smile that normally hid behind so much hair, fought to come out in the open. His husky voice was tempered with affection. "Yes, I'll do it." He took the small toy in his massive fingers and carefully pulled the garment back into place. After handing it back, and receiving a 'thank you' prompted from momma, Bear returned to Kitty's question. "I like belonging to the LadyK. Thank you, ma'am."

The tone for the evening was set and it was an enjoyable dinner. Conversation was sometimes awkward and slow in coming, but it was a step forward. Just two people who were learning how to communicate with one another.

 **TBC**


	12. Chapter 12 - Wild Weeds

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 12**

 **Wild Weeds**

The surgery had gone well and the elderly lady rested easily during the night. Calleigh sat beside her patient the next morning, checking her vitals. She guessed Mawmaw to be firmly planted on the far side of eighty. Skin like leather and calloused hands, were witness to years of hard living and even harder work. But, she hadn't forgotten how to smile, or lost the sparkle in her steel-gray eyes. Her old body was making a remarkable recovery, which came as no surprise to the young redhead.

"Whers them boys?" Against Calleigh's orders, the old woman struggled to sit up. "An' that lil fella. Whers he?"

"Enos and Rip are hunting and…" A sudden frown worked its way onto the youthful face. "I don't know where Coop is."

"He your'n?" There was a tinge of frailty clinging to Mawmaw's voice, from the sickness.

"No ma'am. He's my little brother. Cooper is a very special little boy."

"He rightly is. You dun a fine job, girl. Real fine. I'm a thankin' ya, chile. Is ya a real healer?"

There was no way to keep the old woman lying down, so Calleigh plumped up the pillows and helped her to sit up. "Yes ma'am, I am a trained physician, just like my grandfather. I started my training with him when I was just thirteen, then I was sent to medical school."

There was a pause, as the old woman nodded thoughtfully, before confirming again. "But cha don't cook?"

The puffed up moment of pride from the educated physician deflated like a day-old balloon. The words fell heavy and weary as she repeated, slowly. "But I don't cook."

Mawmaw reached over, patting Calleigh's forearm in a comforting manner. "S'all rite, girl. You kin still larn. Do ya favor eeder of my boys?"

Calleigh pulled back in surprise. "Your…boys? Uh, Mawmaw, I have a husband."

"Ya gots a man and he knows ya cain't cook? Hmmmm-umm! You city folks is shur enuf strange."

In utter defeat, Calleigh's head drooped, allowing her face to be hidden by a sheet of red spiral curls. Apparently, years of practice and schooling to save lives, could not compare to her utter lack of possessing even the most basic culinary skills.

Before Calleigh was forced to defend herself yet again, Cooper came bounding through the cabin door. "Calleigh, look what we made." He carried a bowl over to Mawmaw's bedside, carefully handing her the concoction.

Excitement had taken control of the normally reserved little boy. Words spilled from his tongue, faster than he could organize them. "We did it, Calleigh. Mawmaw told me what to get, and me and Rip-"

"Rip and I," Calleigh offered.

"Yeah, okay. We found the chiggerweed and bee, ...uh …bee…balm." Calleigh waited for him to take a breath, but the words just kept on coming. "They look like flowers, but you can cook with them. They just grow wild, not like farming where you have to plant them. Enos cut up the rabbit, but me and Rip did the rest." He glanced up at the whiskered men, for confirmation.

"Rip and ** _I_** ," Calleigh corrected again, in a much firmer tone.

"…We found wild onions and we dug tube taters out of the creek!"

"Tube taters?" Curiosity lent itself, not only to his words, but the sudden realization of his bare feet. His muddy, shoeless feet. "Where are your shoes? And why are your feet all muddy!" Calleigh's blue eyes widened, her fears uttered in a breath. "What have they done to my Coop?"

"The youngun's fine." Mawmaw spoke up, as she licked the tasty brown liquid from the corner of her mouth. "Ya oughta git a lick of this. That boy of your'n did good. Mebbe he kin-"

"DON'T EVEN SAY IT!" Enough was enough. Calleigh knew that the old woman was about to rudely suggest that a six-year-old boy could teach _her_ to cook. "You … _boys…_ thunk me on the head, drag me up to this forsaken shack, where I operate on your grandmother—saving her life, I might add—yet all you can do is ridicule me, because I can't cook! And now! Now, you have turned my beautiful baby brother, into a backwoods, vittles virtuoso!"

The silence came quick and deep. Eyes seemed to bounce from one to the other until they all settled back on the enraged, fiery redhead. Enos assumed the role of spokesman for the wary group. His question was brief and unexpected. "What's a…vert-choo-oh-so?"

The simple question squelched Calleigh's anger, as well as her energy. The young physician blinked slowly, letting his words roll around in her head, searching for a logical response. There was none. She shook her head in disbelief at the bizarre universe she had entered. Walking past the male trio, she stepped beside the bed and held out her hand. "Well? Let me try that soup."

 **FestusWylieFestusWylieFestusWylie**

Mort eyed the occupied cells. He wasn't sure he had ever seen this many prisoners at one time in Ulysses. This new sheriff was a real go-getter.

"Did you send that telegram to Dodge City, Mort?" Tanner leaned back in his secondhand desk chair. The only thing he had inherited with this office was a beat up old desk, with one drawer missing; a potbellied stove—that belched fire out of the pipe on rare occasions—and a dented coffeepot. In the month he had been here, he'd managed to scrounge up a chair, a small table and a checkerboard. One of the black checkers was missing, but Mort had found a smooth stone that worked just as well.

"No, Sheriff. Winn said he can't send it yet, 'cause the wire is down. Some cowboy came through and said he saw some men trying to get the pole back up. Said some buffalo had pushed it over so far, it dropped the wire. It could be awhile before they get 'er fixed."

"Sheriff, it's not fair to hold us, too. We got 'gitimate papers! They's the ones that robbed us." Vern knew he was running out of time. He and his brothers had to get free before that telegram reached Dodge.

"I'm sorry, but this whole thing is just a bit too confusing for me. That telegram will settle , the right group will be on its way."

"But we're losing money, Sheriff. That Ranklin fella is not gonna wait forever for us-"

"He's not a waitin' atol for ya! You ol; scattle-whomping thief!" Festus rushed to the edge of the cell and pressed his face between the bars. "When I gits free of this here cell, I'ma gonna pound yer thievin' hide into dirt!"

"I ain't afraid of some half-pinted little backwoods runt." Vern pressed equally hard against the imprisoning bars of his cell. "Horse-thieving is a hanging crime and I'm gonna watch you _swing_!"

Hands were flying outside both sets of bars, even though the cells were at least five feet apart.

Voices were rising, as the threats were being tossed back and forth, bringing Tanner out of his seat. " **I'm not going to put up with this yelling and screaming! Both of ya, just** ** _shut up_** **and** ** _sit down_** **!** " As he turned back to his desk, he was surprised by a stranger, standing behind him. The angry tone still inhabited the sheriff's voice. " **What do** ** _you_** **want?** " Tanner cleared his throat and offered an apologetic smile, as he repeated his question in a more civil tone. "Sorry. What can I do for you?"

"My name is Hodge Ranklin and I-"

"It's us!" Vern yelled, "We's the ones yer lookin' for. We got your horses."

"Am I going to have to gag you?" Lattimer scowled at the prisoner, before turning his attention back to Ranklin. "Obviously, you don't know which of these men are from the LadyK."

The lean young man eyed the five men. He chuckled softly, thinking of the story he'd heard about each accusing the other of being a horse thief. Ulysses was a pretty quiet little town and five arrests at one time was the hottest story in the gossip mill. Ranklin could afford to relax, once he had verified that the Morgans were all safe and healthy.

"No, I can't say I've ever met with them personally. I was wondering what happened to them and I ran into a couple of boys that had seen you bringing in a handful of prisoners, along with a string of Morgans. Kinda figured they were the men I was looking for."

"I'm tellin ya Mister-"

"VERN! Don't start that again. Nobody is going anywhere until I get some proof!"

A soft, yet firm voice, drew the attention of everyone in the room. All eyes went to the small, moustached man in the wrinkled suit. "I think I can help you, Sheriff."

Doc swiped at his moustache, slightly amused to see Wylie and Festus behind bars. More so, the latter of the two. "That tall, good-looking cowboy is Wylie Norris. He works at the LadyK." The smirk that hid under Doc's moustache was only visible to Festus, when the newcomer failed to verify his identity, as well.

"And the other guy?" Before Tanner could get confirmation, Vern was quick with one last attempt at freedom.

"He's a part of them, Sheriff! He's the boss. He's the one that told them other two to rob us!" Vern was not only an accomplished liar, but a brazen one. "Does he have proof he is who says he is? Does he?"

Tanner turned to the small man. As much as he didn't believe Vern's accusation, it was possible. "Who are you?"

"I'm Doctor Adams, from Dodge City." A set of bushy brows settled over piercing gray eyes, as he glared at the three brothers.

"Make him prove it, Sheriff!"

Doc looked at the young sheriff.

"Do you have any proof?" The sheriff didn't add the word, _please_ , but it was there in his pleading tone.

"I think I might." Doc held up his hand, letting his index finger point to nothing in particular. "Just hold on a minute." He walked back across the room and disappeared out the door. For the first time since this chaos began, the jail was still as death. All eyes stared anxiously at the door, waiting for the old man's return.

Doc stepped back into the jail, escorting a lovely, young, brunette. While the five men behind bars looked on in confusion, Sheriff Lattimer couldn't get to the woman fast enough. Doc watched as the man stumbled to a halting stop when he spotted the bundle in her arms.

For the first time in days, Festus and Wylie breathed a sigh of relief. Vern staggered back to the dingy little cot and dropped down beside his brothers.

Rebecca's smile was big enough to carry both pride and love, as she pulled the blanket down, revealing the tiny, sleeping face. "Tanner, meet your son, Riley."

"Riley?" He stared at the boy, still too shocked to completely understand. "Rebecca, how…what are you doin…"

Doc watched as the new mother reached up to silence her husband with a kiss. "It's a long story, honey." She pressed her lips between her teeth, before sharing the bad news. "I wanted to surprise you and talked Riley into bringing me out. Tanner, Riley died on the way."

"Died? An accident?" There were so many emotions bombarding him at once. Only this one, was not a happy one.

"No. Dr. Ad-, I mean Doc, said it was like a stroke. It was very quick. I was so scared; and then your son decided to come early." Rebecca looked to Doc. "If he hadn't just happened by…" Tears filled her huge, brown eyes and Tanner pulled his son and wife into his arms.

"That's proof enough for me, Doc. The keys are over there on the hook." Tanner looked down at his son. "I don't know how we'll ever repay you."

Doc chuckled again and winked at Rebecca. "She already did."

Rebecca sniffled back the tears and offered a shy smile at her husband. "His name …is Riley Adam Lattimer." There was the briefest of pauses, before she added quickly. "If that's all right?"

Tanner's laugh was deep, hearty and genuine. "I think that is a fine name for him to live up to."

Doc wandered over to the cell and unlocked his friends. He saw the makeshift bandage on Festus and sent Wylie out to the buggy for his bag.

"It tain't nothin', ya old scudder." Festus pulled away from the prying fingers. "Ya wuzn't even gonna tell em who I wuz."

"Oh, I was, too. Hold still! Let me see this." Doc pulled back the dirty strip of cotton. "What happened?'

"What do you care! I don't need some old quackity-quack poken 'round my head."

Wylie had returned with the bag and sat it down on the cot beside them. "He fell and hit his head on a rock. It bled a lot, but I didn't think it was infected or anything."

Doc swatted Festus' hand away and shushed him again. "I'll just clean it up some." As much as he hated to let it show, his tone softened when he spoke again. "Does it hurt?"

The scruffy little man caught the hint of compassion and settled down to let the old man tend to his injury. "I wuz sure glad to see that wrinkled old face. I jest thought-"

"Well don't think. That's when you get dangerous." His brash tone had returned, but his touch was gentle on the wound.

 **TBC**


	13. Chapter 13 - First One Home

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 13**

 **First One Home**

Matt crept into the bedroom, careful not wake up Kitty. Nobles was right—it had been a long ride, after an even longer day. He just wanted to get home to see for himself that she was okay. It was either too late, or too early, to wake her up—depending on one's point of view. Even the sun would still be resting for another hour or so.

He made his way to the easy chair in the corner and plopped down into the soft, brocade cushion. Amazingly enough, his boots did come off. The marshal was half-afraid they had become molded to his feet. Stretching his legs out, to give his aching toes some freedom, he glanced over at his sleeping beauty.

Although he wasn't surprised when he had found Bear resting in the hammock in the backyard, he was taken aback by the guardian's liberal greeting. "Welcome home. Your ladies are both safe." Granted, Bear hadn't become an orator overnight, but there was a definite improvement. It was rare that Bear's responses lent themselves to more than two words.

Dillon's thoughts shifted from Bear, to his wife, when she moved restlessly under the blanket. Kitty had left the doors to the balcony open, allowing the cool night air to drift in and out, carrying with it her sleepy sighs.

He propped one elbow up on the padded arm of the easy chair and rested his head in the palm of his hand. Matt watched Kitty reach for his pillow and hug it close. A smile crept across his lips, when he heard his name, hidden in her soft murmurings. Even in the innocence of sleep, she could do things to his body.

Suddenly, he didn't feel quite as exhausted. With very little effort, he pulled himself from the chair and quietly covered the few steps to the bed. Kitty released the pillow and once again moved restlessly, finally settling on her back. The tossing about had left a trail of red hair splashed across the pillow.

As much as he wanted to climb in beside her, Matt could feel the Kansas dust clinging to his body. He'd turned toward the water closet, when a hand suddenly grabbed his. When he looked down, he was confronted with a pair of very troubled blue eyes. "I didn't expect you back for a week. Are you all right?"

Matt turned, bringing her hand to his lips. "I'm fine. And before you ask, so is Newly." She moved over, making a place for him to sit. "I didn't mean to wake you." As he brushed his fingers through her hair, he couldn't keep his thoughts from turning toward Emily. Barely more than a child, she was willing to give her life, to ensure his and Newly's safe return to their family.

Kitty reached up to stroke her husband's cheek. It wasn't the look in his eyes, or the tone of his voice, that told her something was wrong. Kitty knew, just by touching him, by the tension in his body. "What's wrong?"

After all these years, he knew better than to try to keep something from her, but it was his habit to protect her. "You sound like you're not glad to have me home early." He gently patted her on the arm, as he started to rise. "You go back to sleep."

"Just hold it, cowboy." Kitty jerked him back to the bed. "You're not going anywhere until you talk to me."

The mighty marshal chuckled softly, as he was brought down by her small hand. "Our prisoner was shot and killed in Garden City. So we didn't have to make that trip to Hays." He paused, hoping that would satisfy, but knowing it wouldn't. Soon, he was recounting the entire saga of Emily Hastings.

While he talked, Kitty pulled herself up and leaned against the headboard. She still held his hand in both of hers. "That poor child. So, she's going to stay with the sheriff and his wife?"

"Ray seems to think so." Matt fell silent again, as he stroked her cheek.

Kitty smiled and pressed her hand over his, "The family should all be back today. Why don't you clean up and get a couple of hours of sleep before they get here?"

Matt nodded and stood up, giving Kitty room to climb out of bed. For a moment, he remained still, watching her as she gathered a fresh change of clothes for him. With a brief, but tender kiss, she placed the bundle in his arms before moving across the room to smooth out the covers on the bed. Kitty ran her fingers over the corner of the comforter before going to the balcony. Then she reached up to pull the drapes together as a shield against the coming day.

"KITTY!"

Seldom did he say her name in such a brusque tone, but it drew her attention instantly. Matt swallowed hard, embarrassed that it had come out so harsh. He was confronted with a pair of curious blue eyes. "I…Kitty, I…I love you."

She remained still as he quickly turned and disappeared into the water closet. A slow, soulful smile eased its way to her lips. Kitty wiped away the tear that had teetered on the edge, until a sweeping of lashes sent it tumbling down her cheek.

She knew when Matt had told her about the Hastings family, about the savage rape and murder of Mrs. Hastings, that it had fueled his fears for her. Of course, fears were always piggybacked with doubts—a lethal combination on that long ride home.

Kitty imagined that he would have been bombarded with overwhelming questions, leaving him speechless: Was Kitty really safe with him? Did she know how much he loved her? Did he tell her often enough? Did he show her?

The image of another big man crowded into her thoughts. Just like her cowboy, Bear, was a gentle giant that could deal with the violence of the West, but neither of them had acquired the courage to speak freely from the heart.

Kitty didn't hear Matt come out of the water closet, as she walked over to the dressing table. She glanced up into the mirror when she heard him say her name.

"Kitty." This time her name came cloaked in a sensual, husky tone. She could feel the word, more than hear it. A tingling heat spread throughout her body, wrapping her in velvet.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, gently turning her around. He cupped her cheek in his palm and she was lost in the intoxicating mix of his freshly scrubbed body and bay musk. His curls were still damp and beads of water clung to the brown smattering of hair that trickled down his brawny chest. Adoring eyes followed the trail, until it dipped below the towel draped around his hips.

Kitty could feel her heart racing as she laid her hands against the center of his smooth, tanned flesh. She spread her fingers, running them lightly across the muscle hiding just below the surface. A single thread of excitement rippled down her spine, as his body flexed beneath the tips of her fingers. Even those battle scars, courtesy of that demanding badge, could not mar the beauty of that powerful chest.

Blue eyes came to rest on the massive hands wrapped around her arms. The focus of her gaze shifted slightly—from her upper arms, to his—as she compared the two. The hands gripping her were so large, the tip of his thumb easily touched against the tip of his middle finger, yet his grasp remained gentle. In contrast, she could barely encircle his arms with both hands. Now it was Kitty that was robbed of the power of speech.

"There were some things I wanted to say, but…" His hands slid down her back, pulling her up against his body. "…I never can find the right words. Maybe I can show you."

Kitty was lost in a sea of blue, as she melted into his arms.

 **TBC**


	14. Chapter 14 - Epilogue: The Gathering

**Flame Series #16: All Roads Lead Back Home**

 **Chapter 14**

 **Epilogue: The Gathering**

Matt held his baby girl on his lap, listening to a story with more wide eyes and excitable utterances than he had ever encountered. Arms flew wide as she babbled on about the snow.

"Momma falled in de snow. It was sweet, daddy. Like jeebees." Red curls bounced, as she nodded vigorously to emphasize her point. "She goed, boom!"

Kitty laughed as she put the lid back on the stew. The family would be traipsing in anytime and stew seemed the easiest to keep warm and fresh. That, along with the bread she'd baked yesterday, should make everyone happy. In the meantime, Daddy needed a little clarification regarding his little one's tale.

His expression was painfully contorted, as he tried to make sense of it all. "Uh, Kitty… Snow?"

A smiling Kitty walked over to the table and brushed her fingers through fiery ringlets, before placing a kiss to Hadley's forehead. "YOUR daughter..." Kitty made certain to emphasize this relationship, "was supposed to be napping, but instead snuck into the pantry. After pouring a jug of molasses all over the floor…"

Hadley giggled happily as her momma retold the story. "Snow, momma!"

Blue eyes met over the top of the tiny red head. "Momma's getting there, sweetie. …That's when YOUR daughter, released handfuls of flour into the mess."

Both parents knew better than to laugh, but neither cared at that moment. There would be plenty of time for punishments and spankings, but not today. Today, the family was reuniting and that was all that mattered.

"Am I too late for the joke?" Newly had heard the laughter as he stepped through the back door. "I figured Calleigh would come here first, to drop off Cooper." He handed Kitty a brown and white cardboard box. "I picked this up at the Prairie Rose."

"Apple?" She knew without peeking what was inside. This man's first thoughts were always about Calleigh's wants or needs.

"Yeah. Her favorite." Newly walked over to the stove to pour himself a cup of coffee. "So, what was so funny?"

Matt let Hadley tell the story again. Trying to follow the girl's rapid, convoluted speech—with matching hand gestures—was like running through a maze, never knowing when the next twist or turn was going to pop up. Little arms finally flew up and out, to indicate that the story had come to an end. She smiled at her audience and climbed down from her daddy's lap to search for Bootsie. The two lawmen shared an understanding look, realizing they had both been dismissed.

The increasing sound of multiple horse's hooves announced that riders were coming. A profusion of voices fulfilled Kitty's prediction that the rest of the family was finally home. The familiar blend of voices, varying from sweet to gruff, young to old, all had one thing in common—they were all happy to be home.

A bubbly and excitable squeal burst forth from the hallway. "Sissy home! Newie, Sissy home!" Instantly, the smallest redhead appeared, dragging a battered, stuffed bear as she ran toward Newly. Whether his grin was a product of this little female, or the arrival of another one, didn't matter. Both redheads made him a happy, happy man.

The toddler bounced in his arms, urging him to go. "C'mon, Newie c'mon!" Obeying his miniature taskmaster, Newly winked at Kitty, as he disappeared out the door. No sooner had he passed the threshold, than a small, curly-headed boy came running in.

"Momma! Daddy!" Cooper's greeting covered both parents, but he found his way to his mother's arms first. "We had _so much_ fun! Wait 'til I tell you what we did." The riotous talk coming through the door, caused him to take a breath and look over his shoulder.

"Horse thieves!" Calleigh burst into laughter, as she jostled the little girl—who'd leapt from Newly's arms into Sissy's—on her hip. "I can't believe that it was Poppy who finally rescued you from jail."

"Well, believe me," Doc followed behind the scruffy man and redhead. His cranky tone matched his sour expression. "I considered leaving _him_ there."

Kitty leaned down, to whisper to her son. "Why don't you wait until we all sit down to eat to tell your story? That way, everyone can hear it." Cooper nodded, eager to tell them all. "Would you like to help me get the stew and bread on the table?"

A brown, curly head bobbed excitedly. "Yeah! I made stew too, momma."

"I can't wait to hear about it." Kitty glanced at the tall blonde. "Wylie, are you staying for dinner?"

"Thank you, ma'am, but I need to get on home." He tried to avoid Festus's taunting smirk.

"Home? That ain't what yur all eager to get to. You been hoppin' around like a flea on a hot skillet, wantin' to get back to that lil girl." Festus made a clicking sound with his tongue. "I'm a thinkin' you got somthin' real _spayshall_ planned fur a homecomin'."

Festus was so busy giving the young cowboy a hard time, he didn't notice the reticent glances exchanged by Matt and Kitty. Their eyes met, both momentarily reliving the passion of their own homecoming. The memory of their lovemaking brought a blush to her and a satisfied smirk to him.

While this exchange went unnoticed by the hill man, it did not escape the attention of a certain meddlesome redhead. Calleigh was already formulating plans to harass her parents, when Newly leaned over and whispered in a seductive husky tone. "I saw that look too, but it's nothing compared to the homecoming I have planned for _you_."

Calleigh instantly let go of her plans to tease and whirled around to hug the man she loved and whispered, "I can't wait!"

It was Doc that broke up all sideline conversations. With his crankiness still intact, he scowled, "I'm starved. Are we going to eat that dinner, or just smell it?"

His complaint was enough of a push to get everyone seated around the table. Calleigh insisted on everyone holding hands during the prayer. Not that anyone objected. As Matt said in the blessing, they were all grateful to have each other and to be home again, safe and sound.

Cooper was too excited to hold his story any longer. Calleigh braced herself for the reaction of the family, when they finally learned why she and Cooper were kidnapped. It was unusual for the family prankster to be the butt of the joke, but it did happen.

"We met these really nice people from Tussee-"

"Tennessee," Calleigh injected quietly.

"Yeah, there was Mawmaw, Enos and Rip. They kidnapped us."

"What?" It sounded like an echo chamber, as the word bounced from the lips of one male to another.

Newly pushed Calleigh back enough to see her face. "Honey? What did they do-"

"They didn't hurt us, Newly. Honest." Cooper was frightened that he had said something wrong. "They needed Calleigh." The young woman closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, readying herself for the taunting to come. "Mawmaw was sick and needed a doctor. Calleigh operated on her and saved her life." Again, words of praise and congratulations poured out simultaneously. Calleigh cast a curious glance at her little brother while thanking them all. "Mawmaw told me and Rip-"

"Rip and I," Calleigh and Kitty corrected in unison.

"Yeah. Poppy, she told us how to make soup with wild stuff. Flowers and things. It was really fun and it tasted good."

Matt handed his empty bowl to Kitty for a refill. "Guess it's a good thing they didn't ask your sister to cook, huh?"

Cooper looked across the table at his sister. "They didn't want to bother Calleigh, 'cause she was making Mawmaw feel better. Besides, Calleigh asked me to keep them busy, so they wouldn't get in her way."

"Doc, ain't cha gonna tell 'em how you delivered that little baby and saved me and Wylie from a hangin'?"

"Well, you just told them! I knew I should have left you in jail!' Doc grumbled, as usual, as he reached for a second slice of bread. "A baby boy they named Riley Adam. Seven pounds, two ounces. Momma and baby were both healthy and doing fine." Even his irritation with Festus, couldn't dampen the smile, as he told of his namesake.

"They sure was a fine lookin' little family. Kinda minded me of you and Miss Kitty." Festus fingered the bandage that Doc had put on his wound.

Doc leaned closer to the scruffy man on his right. "Is it bothering you?" he asked quietly. Festus shook his head and the two returned to their meal.

Calleigh looked at her little brother, to see if he had witnessed the caring gesture, that confirmed his earlier observation. He had seen it and flashed her a grin that said as much.

The meal progressed, revealing more of the Festus-Wylie ordeal. Vern and his brothers were just charged with robbery, as opposed to stealing horses, in order to keep their necks out of the noose. That was more Wylie's doing, although Festus didn't really fight it…much.

Matt listened to his wife, as she shared with everyone her evening with Bear. That would explain the big man's augmented greeting this morning. He was always so impressed by Kitty's ability to draw people out. Of course, he was impressed with just about everything she did. That included the fiasco with the sweet snow, that Hadley insisted her mother tell again.

While the various stories circled around the table, the tale of Garden City remained silent. It was never verbalized, just a look shared by the marshal and his deputy—that theirs was not a story to be retold at this happy time.

As the hour grew later, the travelers began to feel the weariness of their journeys. Calleigh and Cooper helped to clear the table, to put an end to the meal. She waited until they were out of earshot of the family, before asking.

"Coop, why didn't you tell them why Enos really took us?" She wrapped the remainder of the bread in a tea towel and placed it back in the pie safe.

He looked out the back door where his daddy and Newly stood talking. It wasn't that he didn't want to answer her, he just wasn't sure how to say it. "I didn't want them to make fun of you."

Calleigh smiled as she cupped his chin in her hand. "I expected them to."

"I know, but…what you did. You saved Mawmaw's life and that was more important than the cooking thing." He chewed on his lip as he waited for her to say something. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."

"You know what I think?" A loving smile graced her lips as she studied the young boy. "I think that you were protecting me because that is what a man does for the women he loves."

 **FIN**


End file.
